Letters: The homeless are our neighbors and our friends

I've read the dialogue about the "sit-lie" ordinance passed by the Monterey City Council recently, and while I don't presume to have the answer to homelessness, I do have an observation.

Lost in the rhetoric of whether or not this ordinance profiles some of the most disenfranchised people in our community, whether it is constitutional, or moral, we have lost sight of the fact that the homeless are our neighbors and our friends. By referring to them as "a 'blight" we are depersonalizing them which allows us to pretend that they are inherently different from those of us who are not facing similar challenges. We may also be missing the opportunity to form real relationships with folks who have much to offer in terms of life experience and resiliency.

I know a local homeless man who was blind. Through the kindness of people who were willing to come alongside him, he was directed to an eye surgeon who performed cataract surgery for free. He recovered from the surgeries in the home of this couple and became a treasured family member. He now works full time and is thriving.

The sit-lie ordinance builds walls. What if we build relationships instead?

— Lorrie Stiles, Monterey

High value placed on MPC Gentrain program

As a Monterey County taxpayer and, a senior citizen who considers himself a "life-long" learner who participates, and places high value on the Monterey Peninsula College Gentrain program, I was shocked to read MPC Gentrain Society President David Breedlove's July 13 letter, which suggests the possible demise of the program.

I assume part of the taxes I pay support MPC. If that's the case, it seems to me that the discontinuance of any program which is financially supported by a sizable portion of its student body warrants review in a more transparent forum. At the very least, in my opinion, I think the public should be advised as to the savings MPC expects to derive if it eliminates Gentrain and whether increasing the very modest current annual student fee might be a viable alternative to what would appear to be a unilateral decision to simply "cut" the program.

For those who care, and want to continue to grow and contribute, I would guess my sentiments are shared by many.

— Raymond Groo, Carmel

Appreciation for Tour de France coverage

I enjoyed reading the results of the latest stage of the Tour de France in The Herald on July 11.

As a recreational cyclist, I enjoy reading and watching the pros, no different than a sports car driver watching the race results. And then I thought, this was never available in any newspaper 15 years ago. One would have to scrounge obscure cycling journals to find results then.

Would this have happened without Lance Armstrong? I think not. It certainly didn't happen after Greg Lemond won three Tours. Armstrong may have doped, but so did others, so he was still the best of his peers, and he raised the awareness of cycling to a level that hadn't been seen in the United States in 100 years.

Thank you for the coverage, and thank you Lance Armstrong, whatever your baggage.

— John Massa, Salinas

We should be smart about our future

Kudos to the city of Monterey for its recent work moving forward on its specific plans to increase our regional economic vitality. And, a big salute to all hard-working business owners in Monterey and throughout Monterey County. It's exciting to see more events, festivals, restaurants, and other diverse retailers for us to enjoy as well as to engage our important visitors from around the globe. The new outdoor parklet seating in downtown Monterey is a great addition. We are investing in and revitalizing our region and we will all reap the benefits in many ways. A major concern, however, is why the city is planning to remove hundreds of parking spaces from the Fisherman's Wharf and downtown Monterey area and is considering a parking structure to be built in the middle of the Wharf parking lot eliminating attractive harbor views.

Why not improve the parking that we have while also encouraging alternative modes of transportation including bikes, buses, pedicabs and more.